Baby Steps Matt x Kari, Oneshot
by Jeabird
Summary: So my first attempt at a one shot so hopefully it's good. It's Matt x Kari. Before the story T.K. breaks up with Kari, they're in college by now also, because he got 'tired' of her. Her and Matt who had already some kind of connection ends up deciding to take small steps into a relationship together.


Ok it popped into my head and I just had to write it. I was listening to Nobobdy's Home by Avril Lavigne when I wrote it. Hopefully you like it, it might be a bit a little rushed since I'm used to doing chapter stories and this is actually the first one shot I've attempted.

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I sat under the tree that was in the park. My homework forgotten, I was just watching the kids play and I began to think about my future. Nothing had actually gone the way I thought it was. Everyone had kind of drifted apart as time passed. I was in college now and I didn't see the others much anymore. I snapped out of my thoughts when someone pulled out one of my headphones, I turned my head and I was surprised to see the blonde.

"Hey, what brings you here?" He gave me a smile.

"What I can't drop by and see you?" I looked back to the kids; did I really want to be a teacher?

"Kari?" I glanced at him; I really didn't know what I wanted to do anymore.

I wanted to be a teacher at one point but I'm not so sure any more. I want to do something but I guess I entered the stage where I was finally really thinking about guys. Maybe it was because of the Digital World adventure where I want to find a guy who I can actually count on and maybe, just maybe, stay at home. I was also thinking about how I wanted have a family one day yet I'm also thinking about how I used to be sick and how it's catching up to me, I was so tired recently and the doctors said that I really needed to rest.

"You ok?" With that I realized that I had zoned slightly and he was worried now.

"Sorry I just, I've been thinking about a lot lately that's all." I looked away from him.

I guess what brought the whole thinking about having a family one day was brought on by a recent event. I had actually dated T.K. until a few days ago; he said that it was over between us. Apparently he didn't exactly love me anymore; he said that he had gotten tired of me. We had dated since the first year of high school; it made me wonder if whoever I would love would eventually get tired of me. It was also made worse when I found out that T.K. had, had a little 'fun' on the side of our relationship.

"You know, I heard about what my brother did to you." I sighed and I looked at him.

I had grown pretty close to Matt over the years that I had dated T.K.; he was his brother after all. The more time I spent with Matt the more in common we found, it was odd since many years ago I would've thought we had nothing in common. The one thing that Matt found out about, that no one knew about beside him and Tai along with myself, was that I loved music. I wrote a few songs back in high school and I would start a few lyrics here and there and then stop.

"I don't want to talk about it Matt." I looked away but I saw him reach over and then something was placed into my lap.

I looked at him before looking at what he had placed in my lap. My eyes went wide. Twelfth grade year I had given him the notebook that had every song I had written, I didn't want them. It was right after the fight that I had with T.K.; he said that 'whatever is in that notebook ties you too close to my brother'. I had given the notebook to Matt and just kind of walked away. I gave up writing music so I could stay with T.K. since I had loved.

"If you don't want to talk then write. I find that it's the best way to get rid of the pain." I felt my eyes sting slightly.

It was a spiral notebook that I had taken care of so well. I was surprised to find that it was still in the condition that it was in when I gave it to Matt nearly two years ago. The front cover had doodles of the crests and various Digimon. There were even chibi drawings of my friends yet my eyes saw something that hadn't been there before. I brushed my finger over the new drawing; it was of two chibi people holding hands. I smiled looking at it, I could tell that one was supposed to be me but I couldn't think of who the second would be, it wasn't T.K. I knew that for sure.

I opened the notebook that was marked with a pen, the page was completely blank and before I knew words began to pop into my head and I just began writing everything that came to my mind. The words flowed and I just wrote down everything that my feelings inspired. When I was done I covered my mouth and I felt my shoulders shake slightly. T.K.'s words began to repeat and I felt so bad all over again. I was surprised when Matt wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer to him.

"Shhh, it's ok Kari. You aren't alone." I rested my head against his chest, hiding my face.

Something about this, it felt right. It felt warm. Something seemed to soothe me. I didn't know what was going on but I was calming down and I felt something beginning to make the pain fade ever so slightly, it was something that I didn't think would happen. It hurt but maybe it'll stop hurting one day.

"You know, you can always talk to me Kari. I'll always help you, I'll always welcome you." I knew he read what I wrote but I didn't care all that much.

I don't know how long we sat there underneath of that tree, he just let me cry and he held me. It was something that I wasn't exactly used to but it was nice. I felt safe here beside him for some reason, like I could trust him with anything. Even after I had finished crying we stayed like that for a few moments, he didn't seem like he wanted to let me go but when I moved away he let me go.

"Hey how about we go and get dinner? It's pretty late." I glanced at my watch, it was six.

"It's not that late." He raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you have morning classes?" I sighed.

"No, class was canceled for tomorrow. The teacher had some kind of accident." When he placed his hand on my head I looked at him, he had a smile on his face.

"What are you smiling about?" He shook his head.

"Well _I'm_ hungry." I laughed but I stood up, after grabbing my back.

"Ok well let's get dinner then." He held my notebook in his hand but I didn't make a grab for it.

As we began to walk away, it was silent between us but I was ok with the silence. We hadn't talked much over the two years. Just as I was getting lost in my thoughts I felt him grab my hand. His hand was warm. I felt a smile creep across my face as moments past with him holding my hand.

"Hey Kari, you know you don't really have to do anything if you don't want to." I looked at him surprised by his sudden words.

"If you don't know what to do just take a break." I shook my head.

"I'm not used to taking a break Matt; I keep going even when I don't want to." I felt him tighten his grip ever so slightly.

"You never really had anyone to lean on then though." I stopped which caused him to stop and he looked at me.

"What?" I just stared at him; something from years ago blossomed in my mind.

"I don't have anyone now." He shook his head but he smiled ever so slightly.

"You're wrong, you have me." Hearing that surprised me and the thought from years ago there again.

"T.K. always hated how close we got." He seemed momentarily confused.

"That's why I gave you my song notebook; he had said 'whatever is in that notebook ties you too close to my brother'." His eyes widened, I had never given him a reason why I had given him my song notebook two years ago.

"Why did he say that?" I thought about back then, the little signs that I should've seen.

"He was afraid that I would stop loving him and fall in love with you." I saw something twinge in his eyes but he quickly hide it, he was good at hiding things.

"He couldn't have been afraid when there was nothing there." For once I heard it, the small dip his voice that gave away the fact that he was hiding something.

"Matt, I've been lied to for four years. I would like some truth." He sighed but he gave me a smile.

"Fine I'll say the truth but don't get mad or say anything, I already know what your reply would be. Since you were seventeen, since that's a while after we truly began to hang out, I actually fell in love with you. I am actually still in love with you." I was surprised hearing that.

"I know though that you don't return those feelings." I took a deep breath before letting it out.

"You know, I actually loved spending time with you. I always felt safe with you, it's too soon after what T.K. did but you know I won't lie. I actually did like you back then Matt and today like back then, I felt safe and happy. I might just love you, I don't know." It surprised him but he smiled.

"Well maybe you'll agree to baby steps? Let me help you mend what my brother broke so carelessly." A chance to be with Matt, I felt something warm at the thought, I slowly nodded.

"Baby steps." His smile was wider than it had been in a while.


End file.
